Candidates Find Little to Debate in Council Race

The council election in Calabasas features all the trappings of the usual political race except one.

There is no controversy.

Most of the 13 candidates seem to agree on the agenda for the proposed new city: well-managed growth, fiscal responsibility and a strong community identity.

“There are no issues tearing us asunder,” said Bill Melcher, one of the 13 candidates. “What the public has to do is look at the candidates and say, ‘Who do I want to represent me?’ ”

Provided the incorporation measure passes, the top five vote-getting candidates will be elected to the new council, and from their ranks they will select a mayor. The two top vote-getters will each serve for four years; the other three will each serve for two years.

Among their first tasks, the new council members will have to decide where and when they should meet, whether to hire a professional city manager, whether to award themselves salaries of up to $300 a month and other mechanics of running the city.

Melcher said his experience as a conflict mediator, a lawyer and a judge would be an important asset to the new city because he could help bring the new leaders together when disputes arise.

“We have to unite,” he said.

Other candidates also say their previous experience as government professionals and elected officials would prove useful to the new city.

Ron Gold said that during six years as a deputy attorney general for the state Department of Justice, he worked closely with a range of agencies such as the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Transportation. In his private law practice, he has done public interest work, including representing parents who wanted to send their children to school in neighborhoods where they work instead of where they reside.

“I learned a lot about negotiating between the state, counties and cities,” he said.

Gary Klein, who served as a planning deputy for three Los Angeles City Council members and now works for the city Planning Department, said his expertise could “save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars” as officials attempt to formulate a general plan for housing, land use, transportation and other services.

The city of Santa Clarita, he said, spent $500,000 to hire a consultant to formulate its plan, but Klein said his technical knowledge could spare Calabasas such an expense.

Lesley Devine, who has served as a director for the Topanga-Las Virgenes Resource Conservation District for 10 years and has been involved with a number of environmental agencies working to preserve the Santa Monica Mountains and the Santa Monica Bay, said her biggest asset to the new city would be her “full understanding of the planning process and its environmental impacts” and her experience negotiating with developers.

Her top priority, she said, is to protect the environment, and with her skills and experience with other agencies, she said she could do that. “It’s fine to say this is what I want to do, but it’s important to know how to do that.”

Karyn Foley, who has a degree in recreation and worked for the parks departments of two cities for 10 years, said she could help the new city establish much needed parks programs for young people. “I am the only one with professional recreation experience,” she said.

Predictably, those at the forefront of the cityhood movement in recent years--Bob Hill, Doris La Violette, Marvin Lopata and Dennis Washburn--are all emphasizing their proven dedication to the community, their connections with county leaders and their familiarity with the new city’s projected budgets.

Hill, who served as president of the cityhood committee, said, “I have the experience of negotiating all the budgets, and my background in finance and economics helps an awful lot as we set our priorities in relationship to the funds coming in.”

“I have demonstrated service to the community over a long period of time, and I have listened to the people and what their concerns are,” La Violette said.

“My knowledge of the city government is probably second to none, and the contacts I have developed with the county people over the last five years would obviously be an advantage to the new city,” said Lopata.

He said he has met with officials from a number of other government agencies to discuss establishing services in the first year of the new city.

He is also a member of a study group setting long-range goals for the Conejo Valley.

Washburn, in addition to his work on the cityhood campaign, has been a director of the Topanga-Las Virgenes Resource Conservation District, president of the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation and a participant in environmental projects to protect the Santa Monica Mountains. He said that if elected he would provide “unflagging energy.”

“I am the most experienced of the candidates in the issues that are most critical for the future of Calabasas, and I am an enthusiast for the community,” he said.

Jeffrey Kurtz, who has been involved in fund raising for the cityhood campaign, said his previous contact with members of the cityhood committee would enable him to cooperate with other newly elected city officials if he became a council member.

“I am a people person,” he said.

But those who were not active in the cityhood movement say that their candidacies should not be dismissed, and that they too would bring important strengths to the new city.

Jack Bethel, a commercial loan officer at a bank, said he has experience with multimillion-dollar budgets and has leadership capabilities and integrity.

“I am willing to listen to both sides of every issue, and I am not bringing any preconceived baggage to the table,” he said.

Peter Eason, a banker, has a master’s degree in public administration from USC with an emphasis in environmental management. He said his academic training in subjects such as public budgeting and municipal contracts--and his personal responsiveness to citizens’ needs--would benefit the new city.

“As a banker I have developed and produced products that customers say they need and want. If I am elected, I will implement programs that the voters want,” he said.

Michael Fichera believes that his biggest assets are his business experience and his “open door.”

Fichera said the new city could have financial difficulties during its first year because of the recession, and consequently the budget will have to be watched very carefully.

He also said he would be available to meet citizens four days a week.

“I want people to come to me. I don’t want to impose my will on them,” he said.

CALABASAS CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES

Jack Bethel 33, is a commercial loan officer at Union Bank. He has lived in Calabasas for about a year and he is the president of Las Virgenes Hill Homeowners Assn.

Lesley Devine 48, a writer and environmentalist, has been a director of the Topanga-Las Virgenes Resource Conservation District for 10 years, and president for five years. She has lived in Calabasas for 16 years.

Peter Eason 35, works for California Federal Bank helping branches establish marketing programs. He and wife moved to Calabasas a year and a half ago from Northridge, where he was president of the Variel Homeowners Assn.

Michael Fichera 50, manages several apartment buildings he owns in Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, and North Hollywood. He moved to Calabasas a year ago and is president of the Calabasas Park Estates Homeowners Assn.

Karyn Foley 54, sells real estate in Calabasas and is president of the Vista Pointe Homeowners Assn. She and her husband have lived in Calabasas for 16 years.

Ron Gold 46, has his own law practice and served as a deputy attorney general for the state. He and his family have lived in Calabasas for 3 years.

Bob Hill 54, is an investment banker. He was been president of the Calabasas Park Homeowners Assn. for two years and has been president of the cityhood committee since 1985. He and his family have lived in Calabasas for 19 years.

Gary Klein 43, works for the city of Los Angeles Planning Department. Since he moved to Calabasas a year ago, he has been an active member of the both the Park Verde and Calabasas Park Homeowners’ associations.

Jeffrey Kurtz 42, has been a divorce lawyer since 1974. He was involved in the cityhood committee’s fund-raising efforts for three years and has lived in Calabasas for three years.

Doris La Violette who declined to give her age, has long been a volunteer for Calabasas community organizations, including the cityhood movement. She has lived in the area for 25 years.

Marvin Lopata 49, is a real estate appraiser. He has served as the president of the Greater Mulwood Homeowners Assn. and has been active in incorporation efforts. He has lived in Calabasas for 11 years.

Bill Melcher 48, has his own law practice and sat as temporary judge in the Calabasas/Malibu Judicial District. He has lived in Calabasas for 21 years.

Dennis Washburn 48, is a senior account executive for a marketing and advertising firm. He has been involved in incorporation efforts for a decade. He has lived in Calabasas for 20 years.